Weeks later, I was on my way back to the Palace, I had stayed away for as long as I could but there was no other way for me to prolong my stay anymore. I had run out of excuses and time. Arius sent a messenger to tell me to come home with my second in command and my overgrown pet, his exact words which meant the news of my actions that night and day at the forest had already spread round. I knew that more people would be looking to see me but I was not in the mood to play a good hostess but I didn’t have a choice.
It came with the job description of being a Queen.
Adela gave a purr as she sensed my mood and I sighed as her rubbed her head.
“Why is it that you always dread going back home.” Sorens asked me as he brought his horse and mine to be side by side while I watched from the log which I sat on in the meadows, Adela moved closer to stare at a tree. I was already fond of this horse who didn’t mind Adela as much as before so I was keeping her until I had enough free time to train a new horse from a foal because I have a feeling that was the only way, any other horse will be able to stomach Adela running besides them and not think that Adela was going to attack them.
“I don’t know.” I tell him. “That place is full of people who hates me, people who takes me as their enemy. I am not in the mood for enemies but I will not let myself be stepped on any further.” I replied Sorens as I stood up and went to my horse. Adela was still staring at a tree, refusing to remove her gaze from there even though her ears twitched so she knew that we were about to go.
“You were giving them a lot of issues with that before.” Soren smiled at he joined his hands together so he could give me a boost up my horse.
“Maybe.” I answered with a shrug as Sorens shifted the topic.
“Will you inform your husband that you are the golden queen?” Sorens asked.
“Not until we call a truce I am okay with, he is not going to know my secrets.”
“But my queen…” Sorens started.
“His other wife is pregnant Sorens, the golden queen was the only one whom her king loved and yet he killed her. I don’t know anything about Arius to trust him with that secret yet. Not only Adela and baby Gurumapa came through, I don’t believe that. What I do think is that more ugly and evil things came through too. I need to take care of those and not announce my identity to them not until I am strong enough and currently. I still am not.” I answered Sorens who sighed and then lifted himself up his horse, he dropped the issue, sensing where I was coming from and knowing that he was not going to win this argument this time.
“Adela.” I called but my stubborn oversized cat was still staring at the tree. “Adela, time for us to go.” I said again and this time, Adela glanced at me before looking back at the tree.
“There will be plenty of trees where we are going. There is a garden of low ones outside my window, trees which you can lay on and sun yourself.” I offered and just as I had thought, she looked at the tree, gave a strange hiss before walking to me. Her hiss was strange but I put that aside in my mind as she put her nose on my legs and stared up at me as if she was asking for the direction of the trees I promised her.
With a kick, I set off with Sorens and Adela catching up to me.
As we left, a shadow came out of the tree which Adela was staring, thicker this time and stared after us before going back into the tree.
*******
I wasn’t so surprised when I saw the army waiting for us before the palace gates even though we have already entered the boundary. They started shaking when we drew near and one of the soldiers spare fell. They all carried spares which means that they were there for Adela, thinking she was the threat.
I couldn’t help but smile at their silliness, they think that their death will come from the hands of Adela? They had no idea, they should mistakenly let any of those spears fly towards her and they will feel my wrath.
“I will warn them first.” Sorens said as he went ahead of me.
“Lower your weapons. Now!” Sorens ordered as some listened to him. “You pointing your spears at Adela will just make her incense and she might throw you to the ground. If you mistakenly attack her, you will have her mistress to kill you.” Sorens explained but they didn’t believe still holding their spears in direction of Adela who sat and then yawned, showing her sharp teeth.
“Stop showing off.” I said to Adela as I came down from my horse and slap her flank so she would race to the stables herself, I was not about to follow her there, not wanting to scare all the horses and not willing to leave Adela anywhere alone yet.
“Sorens has warned you. Anybody touch Adela and I will tear that person from limb to limb before killing him or her, I want you to spread the news around, now can someone tell me where the king is and step out of my way?” I asked with her hands on my hips while waiting for them to obey.
They looked at each other before turning to face me. “My queen but, you want to let her into the compound?”
I shook my heads at his question. “Yes and to see the king too, I am not leaving her alone yet.” I answered the warrior who spoke up, out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Adela shift her position to a lying one and a spear fly to her.
“Adela.” I screamed but swift as lightning, she shifted away from her former location, closer to me this time and hissing at the person who let the spear fly.
“I warned you.” I said but instead of my voice being filled with different layers, making my voice sound like a thousand people speaking at once, it was just another voice with mine, a woman’s voice which was tinier than mine. My eyes turned golden instead of black.
“My Queen.” Sorens knelt down and some other smart ones followed his lead. I freed my whip from its place around my waist.
“My queen, please, my hand slipped.” The guard pleaded but we knew the truth. His hand didn’t. He threw that spare to hurt Adela on purpose.
“So is mine.” I replied him as I used my whip on him, hitting him in different places before wrapping my whip around his neck. His fellow guards were begging but I was not a forgiving person. Not when my Adela was threatened. “Let this serve as a deterrent.” I said as I yanked my hand back and with the force, the whip removed his head.
“Can I go see my husband now?” I asked with a smile.
“What is going on here?” Arius voice rang out as I looked at my husband for the first time in two week.
“Hello Husband. I brought back a friend.” I said with a smile as his eyes filled with horror when he saw Adela.